NASCAR Monday Mash-Up: North Wilkesboro returns with passion
North Wilkesboro has been revived and the NASCAR All-Star Race is through. What a weekend to revel in history and look forward to the future. The Monday after, I think this weekend was still as much of a success as I did on Sunday night. Even with a huge Kyle Larson win in the main event, there was a lot to enjoy.
This weekend we had a few wrecks that raised eyebrows. Those wet-weather tires made another brief appearance and actually worked pretty well all things considered. There was even a little bit of drama in the All-Star Open as it led into the big race. And did Kyle Busch tweet in the middle of the race?
With the return to North Wilkesboro complete, let’s take a look back at the highlights of the weekend. It isn’t every day you see a venue raised from the dead the way this short track was.
NASCAR Truck Series produces wrecks, drama
This NASCAR weekend did have a points-paying race at North Wilkesboro. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series lined up to race for real at the historic track to get down and dirty. Frankly, the racing was great.
Tyler Ankrum was running a little too far on the outside. He got pushed out and ended up hitting the wall. Once that happened, his truck just about came to a stop and the field behind him had nowhere to go. This wreck took out Rajah Caruth, Ben Rhodes, and Zane Smith.
We also had a bit of drama between Dean Thompson and Hailie Deegan over on Twitter. That was all because of this contact during the Tyson 250.
This race would end a lot like the All-Star Race. Kyle Larson, replacing Alex Bowman in the Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy, was lights out. He found a groove no one else could find until it was too late. Larson had to earn it at the end, but he pulled it off.
Noah Gragson’s up and down Sunday, Kyle Larson’s big win
On Sunday, the All-Star Open was up first. This race was going to decide two of the three qualifying spots. Then the All-Star fan vote was released after the race. You had to be P1 or P2 to move on after this one.
Learning how to run down low on Turns 1 and 2 is key on this track the way it is set up. Noah Gragson just got a little too close to the wall.
The damage was serious for Gragson. However, he got word he won the fan vote right after this race, so that’s something. His team was able to get his car going and he finished the entire All-Star Race after this tough wreck.
Also in this race, Michael McDowell was upset with Ty Gibbs after some contact. To be fair, it ruined McDowell’s entire night. So he tried to ruin Ty’s.
So, soon after the Open race ended, the main event got started. This was what everyone was waiting for. Driver intros were hilarious as Bubba Wallace taunted the booing crowd in front of him. Then, of course, he flipped someone off live on camera after the race. P2 and a new batch of memes? That’s a good night for Wallace fans.
Now you all know what happened in this race. Kyle Larson showed that he doesn’t need simulator time he just needs to get a feel for the track and some green flag laps under him and he will take off.
The best part of the night was seeing Katelyn Larson chug a Coors Light after her husband won a $1,000,000 payday and pulled off a full-lap burnout. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
North Wilkesboro is back, baby!
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